The two male judges acknowledge a gender bias on the panel.

Ray Mickshaw / FOX

The X Factor fans may have noticed that judges Paula Abdul and Nicole Scherzinger have been hard on the girls during the audition round. Co-judges Simon Cowell and L.A. Reid jokingly acknowledge the bias.

The most glaring example of this would probably be Tiah Tolliver. She was clearly pretty, had the pipes, and the attitude to be a competitor on the show, but Paula and especially Nicole picked her to pieces. They’re entitled to their opinions, but there were definitely less talented men who advanced before her. On Wednesday’s boot camp episode, Tiah came back strong and Cowell made sure to remind the women of how they doubted her.

“If you’re talented, if you’re female, and you’re young, you’re not going to get through if it’s Paula and Nicole’s decision,” he continues. “I said this to someone early on, we’re protecting an endangered species. But, we couldn’t let them near the girls. As L.A. said earlier, it would’ve been an all-male competition.”